The Early Entrance Experience

Testimonials From Those Who Have Lived It

This page contains observations and remarks regarding the
Texas Academy for Leadership in the Humanities

Comments below are sorted with most recent submissions first.

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TALH nearly ruined my life. I know, I know. You're tired of not being challenged in high school and you want desperately to "belong" to a group of intellectual peers...you won't find that at TALH. Despite what's been written in the above paragraphs, there are a few "realities" you need to be aquainted with before entering any of these programs: 1.) If you transfer to a private school after graduating from TALH, odds are your credits won't transfer and the "time saved" by leaving high school early will be more than made up when you have to retake several hours of credit. 2.) The administration isn't helpful in the least. The program's director, Mary Gagne, is a pillar of ethics, character, and heart, but she is COMPLETELY out of touch with the day-to-day going's on within the TALH community. Mostly, you'll have the "pleasure" of dealing with a complete wash-out [names removed at subject's request]. They run the place as if it is there own torture chamber. 3.) Thought you were leaving high school days? THINK AGAIN - you have to spend several hours each night in a STUDY HALL that is really a euphamism for being in complete Hell. If a student is mature enough to live on their own in a strange city AMONG THE GENERAL STUDENT POPULATION then aren't we mature enough to study on our own time? 4.) Even the most minor disagreements with administration result in several hours of interrogation-style "discussions" so the admin's can determine, willy nilly, what should be done with you. They classify the "violations" a person can make, ranging from Level 1 violations for being late to class or talking out of turn, to level 4 violations such as sneaking out of your alarm-rigged gate to visit a girl on another floor. Level 4 violations are certainly fun - you get told you are "unbecoming of a TALH student" and several sheets of paper are put in front of you to sign while administration (and anyone else nearby) watches you with disapproving eyes...if you only learn one word at TALH - you'll learn the word "mandatory". Mandatory meetings, classes, study hall, curfew, etc...its like a prison camp. 5.) Are you smart? You have no control over what you take, so plan on being a little dumb. Lets say you are smart enough to skip some of their classes, so you sign up for a more advanced course by getting it approved through the school...Well! You've just landed yourself in major Hell because the TALH administration can't STAND it when you do anything without going through them. Plan on being completely humiliated and certainly plan on some more pink slips. 6.) The emotional strain is enormous. Now listen, I was like you - I didn't care about leaving high school. In fact, I faught vigorously for it. But in the end, I would have paid anything to NOT have some of the TALH memories on my mind. The reasons are philosophical and biological...a 16 year old boy or girl is simply too young to be exposed to the emotional and social stress of college. Especially Lamar University. The campus is pretty much composed of foreign engineering students (who are very kind but usually withdrawn into their own groups) and locals who typically don't want anything to do with class. It's a scary, pointless Hell to put yourself through to save a semester in college. Now for a positive note: I'm done with college now, and even done with graduate school. I will say that ONLY NOW, do I feel ok about the TALH experience. Like I said at the beginning, TALH ALMOST ruined my life. I don't have many good memories from the place. I will say that I know the first person in this list of testimonials very well, and I can say very clearly - HE HATED TALH MORE THAN MOST. I'm guessing his hindsight holds TALH in more esteem. And it truly isn't the program in isolation. It is the entire IDEA of this early education. I KNOW you are smart enough and mature enough to handle the classes....and I tried (like you will if you go) to make classes numero uno...but the social and emotional stuff always creeps in and takes over, then you just want to go home. I hope you decide not to attend. Take summer classes at a local community college. Feel free to email me and I'll talk with you more about TALH. --- John

- John, Former Student (Class of 2000) Texas Academy for Leadership in the Humanities

I spent my last two years of high school at TALH. Disappointingly, that is how I thought of them. I never felt like I was in an environment that was much more than high school. The classes were not much harder or more interesting, the other students were not generally more intelligent or ambitious. The administration was consistently the most disappointing element of all. They favored positivity over acheivement, and they alienated the students with the most academic potential. The social environment could have been really great, and only toward the end of my last year did irreparable rifts come up. A number of restrictive policies made it difficult to interact well with members of the opposite sex. Ironically, this bred discontent among the males that were cooped up on their side of the dorm, cementing complaints during hours of gripe sessions. Admittedly, I was biased against TALH, and there were a number of personal reasons that I did not like the program and certain members of the administration. I went to TALH because my parents did not want to pay for Simon's Rock, from where I had to rescind my enrollment. Beaumont and Lamar University are incredibly unimpressive. I became disillusioned early on, and decided to pour my energy into outside involvements rather than improving my TALH experience. I did not enjoy my time at TALH, and that is why I did not walk at my graduation (now it is a rule that you must walk in order to graduate). If you're considering an early college program, and you want College, TALH is probably not for you. If you want to get a little ahead for real college and have something that will look good on your resume, TALH isn't bad.

- Richard West, Student (Class of 2002) Texas Academy for Leadership in the Humanities

My senior year of high school was spent at TALH. It must say it was one of the most rewarding years of my life. The things I took away from there, so far exceed what you gain from high school I cannot even being to go into from here. TALH gave me the opportunity (though at the time I didn’t know just how valuable on one it would be) to step out on my own, but not step out 100% on my own, in a way an intermediary stage between life at home and the real world. I have ambitious dreams and aspirations that TALH only fuelled. Unlike high school, and university life, the administrators at TALH take a very personal role. Do not think I am saying this is the perfect organization, but for a student looking to get a head start on his/her life, and with dreams that are larger than their current surroundings, this is the perfect organization, and an excellent blend of high school and university.

- Kyle Chambers, Former Student (Class of 2003) Texas Academy for Leadership in the Humanities

I decided to do an "early entrance" program because I was looking to challenge myself. The Academy certainly met that criterion. However, several of the challenges I faced were not academic. I had to learn to deal with professors, university faculty, and my peers independently. I also had to learn to develop a new social support network. If you are deciding whether or not to apply to or accept admissions from an early entrance program, do not ask yourself if you are smart. Ask yourself if you are a leader--do you have inner drive and focus? If the answer to that is yes, you are ready for an early entrance program. If you are looking for an institution to develop your leadership skills and appreciation for humanity, chose the Academy. (Especially if you are a risk-taker and don't mind being busted for breaking curfew or being on the wrong side of the dorm ;-)) I am happy to answer any questions. Please feel free to email me.

- Jennifer Yador, Student (Class of 1998) Texas Academy for Leadership in the Humanities

This was a great experience for me as a 16 year old student. Not only did I gain knowledge but also life experience being independent and on my own in a program with 100 other 16 year olds. This can be a great opportunity for any student who can control their behavior, and focus in on the opportunity at hand!

- Lee, Former Student (Class of 1997) Texas Academy for Leadership in the Humanities

As a student accepted to TAMS, TALH, and Simon's Rock I took a chance in attending the relatively unknown program in Beaumont at a small university. I don't regret it, knowing many students who chose TAMS I think I made the right choice because of the level of social interaction I had with the other students at the University. At the time I attended TALH there were only about 50 students and it was a close environment, but not overly secluded. I often had acquaintences or friends I would meet outside of class who were part of the general student body of Lamar. Although I would have loved to have gone to Simon's Rock the exponential increase of fees couldn't be justified when I had two such programs (basically free) in my own state. There were great things about the academy, the close friends I still maintain, the academic preparation for being on my own in college, the credits that transferred towards my BBA, but I don't think any were more important than the feeling I developed, that I could do anything. There are also, of course, flaws in the Academy (as we call it) many of the rules seemed silly while I was there, and have only increased in severity in these few years. Our chief complaint at the time was the lack of social interaction between guys and girls. Unlike TAMS we weren't allowed to ever be on the girls side of the dorm, after hours or not. The social interaction was there, but it was certainly hard to find. I did end up meeting my fiance though there, and we've been together for 3 years in 2 weeks. The academy is definately worth checking out, but if your student is extremely artistic, brighter than the university professors will be, or doesn't like to be controlled, he'd do much better at Simon's Rock.

- Johnathan Vaverka, Former Student (Class of 2002) Texas Academy for Leadership in the Humanities

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